


So For Now, Let's Dance

by BelovedRival



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dancing, Drabble, F/M, Fluff, Just like a little bit of angst, Mutual Pining, Not enough story for a oneshot, Pining, Slow Dancing, Too long for drabble, kinda a oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:07:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28008168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BelovedRival/pseuds/BelovedRival
Summary: Hermione offered to help with the Joke shop, dancing ensues.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Fred Weasley
Comments: 1
Kudos: 32





	So For Now, Let's Dance

Hermione had offered to fill in at WWW. She almost regretted it. The snow was falling and it was freezing outside. No one had entered the building since she arrived that morning. She had been looking forward to spending the time with Fred. She didn't want to admit it but she had developed quite the crush on him, so when she found out George was busy and Verity had called in sick she jumped at the chance to spend the day with him. 

They spent the morning putting out product, and chatting like they had grown accustomed to. The bantering had gone on all morning and eventually they ran out of tasks. Fred found himself sitting at the counter, fidgeting with his wand. Hermione was standing over a table, consolidating all of one product, and building a base for her tower.

After about ten minutes of their silent fidgeting Fred spoke up. "Dance with me." He said passively without looking up. 

"What?" She laughed and glanced up from her tower "Why?" Her cheeks tinged pink

"'Ve Got nothing better to do." He sighed. "The stock's all out, and with the snow like this, no ones coming in today."

"All very good points but that's not really a reason... besides, I'm a rubbish dancer." She informed him, trying to avoid the embarrassment of making a spectacle of herself, as she played with the stack of small purple boxes.

"Now, I know that's not true." He rebutted, and continued to concentrate on making his wand stand vertically on the counter. "I saw you dance with Krum at the Yule Ball." 

She laughed again at this. "That was about seven years ago, and I had practiced _so much_." 

"No," he sounded scandalized "The brightest witch of our age, had to practice dancing."

"Shut up." She threw one of the boxes at him.

He flinched as the box hit him, grabbing the wand before it fell. "Tsk tsk miss Granger. Am I going to have to write you up for recklessness, and damaging company property?" He finally looked up at her. 

"You can't prove anything, it's your word against mine, and lucky for me" She placed the last box she could reach on top of the tower before turning to him." I know one of the owners."

"I'll have you know, I'm related to one of the owners."

She gasped dramatically "No."

"Dance with me." this time it was more a question than a statement.

"You still haven't given a reason."

"Because I'm bored." He slid off the stool. He swept over to her, swung around, scooped her up, interlocked his fingers with hers and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Also with such lovely company how could I resist?" He smiled and the tips of his ears glowed a soft pink.

"Well, I guess those are both valid reasons, and you're not wrong." She laughed as he spun them around and around in uneven circles.

He studied her face as she watched their steps. Her loose strands of hair followed as they moved, dancing to their own song, free. There was a determination in her eyes, a concentration that seemed to be unbreakable. Her lips were pulled into a soft smile. He watched as they continued to go round and round, the progression from uncertainty to relaxation, to confidence in her movements. He got lost in the look on her face, and only realized how long he'd been staring when she looked up to meet his eyes. In a panic he loosened her from his grasp, and spun her round. Her laugh rung out, filling the empty shop. He continued to sway with her, in the empty store, slowly they grew closer.

"Do you wanna hear a secret?" He whispered.

"Okay." She matched his tone, her heart skipping a beat.

"Okay." He continued in silence.

She had clung onto every sound he made, every inhale and exhale, the sound of their hearts beating, the gentle creak of the floor boards.

"The stores closed now." He continued to whisper.

She let out a breathy laugh. "That's not much of a secret."

"I know." He closed his eyes. "I chickened out of what I wanted to say, so for now, lets dance." He spun her again, her cheeks permanently pink. 

They had stopped moving completely, now they stood in the middle of the shop. Both clinging to something they didn't want to say. Their worlds were still spinning. Hermione took a step back, and he felt himself pull to follow her before letting her go. 

"I-I should probably get going." She couldn't bring herself to speak any louder than the silence they built for themselves. 

"I'll see you around." He hesitated before sliding their arms free from each other. He moved to close the store as she gathered her coat and got ready to leave. "Thanks for the dance 'Mione." He smiled down at her as she neared the door to leave.

"Anytime." She lingered for a minute then slid out the door, and disappeared with a pop.

Fred turned back to the empty store, it hadn't felt this cold a moment ago, and the lights seemed to have dimmed. He let himself fall to the floor, he leaned against the counter and went over the day in his head. Why did he let it get this far? 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading <3


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